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(No Model.)

K. R. LANG. SHOULDER BRAGB.

No. 556,424. y Patented Mar. 1'7, 1896.

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UNTTRD STATES PATENT GFFICR.

KARL REINHARD LANG, OF FALKENSTEIN, GERMANY.

SHOULDER-BRACE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 556,424, dated March17, 1896. lApplication led November 25, 1895. Serial No. 569,977. (Nomodel.)

To a/ZZ whom. it may concern..-

Beit known that I, KARL REINHARD LANG, teacher, a citizen of the Kingdomof Saxony, and a resident of Falkenstein, in the Kingdom of Saxony andGerman Empire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSpinal Braces, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices to be used especially by children andyoung persons for supporting the spine, and also as a shoulderbrace.

The invention consists in a belt adj ustably buckled at the side andhaving a leather or other stiff shield-shaped plate to support thechest, and a shoulder-brace strap or straps united at the front to theupper corners of the leather plate and at the rear to an adj usting backstrap which passes through a guideloop in or secured to the back of thebelt and has holes therein for attachment to a fixed stud or button uponthe back of a chair or bench.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure lisa perspective view of a spinal support, looking from the back; Fig. 2, asmaller illustrative front view showing the device applied to the body,and Fig. 3 a similar view showing the device as applied to the body asseen from the back.

A breast plate or shield A is secured at its upper corners to the endsof a shoulder-strap B,which is folded at its middle C and securelyjoined to the upper end of a depending leather strap D, and is alsosecurely joined at its lower pointed end to the front part of a belt E,which is closed and opened at the righthand side by means of a hook Fupon one end of the belt and holes g in a leather strap G secured to thebelt E, which admits of adjustment thereon.

The leather strap D is guided and held to slide between the belt E and'aloop-strap E', which is stitched to the inner side of the belt E and hasa series of buttonholes d in said strap, into which is engaged a buttonor stud fastened to the back of a chair or bench to securely hold downthe strap D, and thus hold back the shoulder-strap B firmly to draw backthe shoulders squarely and also press and hold the chest-shield Aclosely up against the chest and therefore greatly strengthen andrelieve weak-chested persons who are growing out of a straight carriage,and considerably facilitate a full and regular respiration.

The breast-shield A is preferably made of leather, as it providessufficient strength, lightness, flexibility, and is durable andinexpensive, the shield serving as an important element' of the device,its shape fitting the body snugly to support the 4chest and protect thebreast, while it is a most secure and effective device for holding theshoulder-straps in place and connecting them at the front in a suitablemanner with the belt.

The side hooks and method of uniting the ends of the belt around thebody admit of ready, secure, and ample adjustment.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. Adevice to support the spine and shoulders, comprising a waist-belt E; ashieldshape chestshield A, secured at its lower point to the said belt;a shoulder strap or straps connected to the upper corners of saidchest-shield and secured at the back to the back strap D, having aseries of buttonholes therein adapted to be secured to a xed stud orbutton, substantially as described.

2. A device to support the spine and shoulders, comprising a leatherchest-shield A; a strap B, adapted to pass over the shoulders andsecured at its forward ends to the upper corners of the saidchest-shield; a back strap D, secured to the strap B, and having aseries of buttonholes therein adapted to be secured to a fixed stud, anda belt E, secured in front to the bottom of the chest-shield A, providedat the back with a loopstrap E', to retain and guide the back strap D,substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed myname in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

KARL REINHARD LANG.

IVitnesses:

REINHARD KHLER, FRANK LANG.

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